It will be known as the UTA Transit Express, but you can call it TRAX.
The Utah Transit Authority Monday unveiled a name and acronym for its planned light-rail commuter system, giving the $312 million project an identity UTA officials hope will be easily recognized, remembered and used.TRAX was the overwhelming choice of a focus group that spent weeks considering dozens of suggested names and poring over data compiled through opinion polls.
The runner-up was METRO, a name already used by the transit system in Washington, D.C., and similar to METROLINK, the name for the light-rail line in St. Louis.
"We were looking for something unique but something people will remember," said John Inglish, UTA assistant general manager. "We ran a lot of names by a lot of people and basically came up with that."
Now TRAX can be mentioned along with well-known U.S. transit acronyms such as BART for San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit, MAX for Portland's Metropolitan Area Express and DART for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
What about a name with more local significance? Something with Salt Lake or Wasatch Front in the title?
"We were looking for an acronym and `WF' doesn't help you a whole lot," said Dale Zabriskie, a public relations consultant who helped coordinate the naming process. "We think this (TRAX) is descriptive. It didn't surprise me it was the first choice of the focus group. It does exactly what we want."
UTA officials heard plenty of other suggestions, many of which would spell acronyms inappropriate for publication in a family newspaper. One of the less offensive names mentioned was Wasatch Area Rapid Transit, but it didn't take the focus group long to rule out "WART" as a viable option.
The name and TRAX logo were introduced Monday at the ZCMI Center Mall, where UTA will present an informational display through Tuesday.
The display gives details about the planned first phase of light rail, a 151/2-mile route between Sandy and downtown Salt Lake City to be completed in mid-2000.
The display also shows a map of the route, also showing locations of passenger stations and park-and-ride lots.
A second display on Social Hall Avenue, just east of State Street, gives future riders a glimpse inside a TRAX car.
The mockup of one-half of a light-rail car will be open Monday and Tuesday, then move to the Gallivan Center for display there beginning Wednesday.
The rail car and informational display will appear together later at the following locations:
- Thursday and Friday, March 6-7, at Office Depot on 2100 South in South Salt Lake.
- Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9, in the Fashion Place Mall in Murray; March 12-13 at the Fort Union Family Center.
- Saturday, March 15, at the South Towne Center mall in Sandy.
UTA hopes to begin construction of the Sandy-Salt Lake line in April. A second route, from Salt Lake International Airport to the University of Utah, could also be in place before the 2002 Winter Games, although UTA has not made a commitment to building a second phase.
The Wasatch Front Regional Council, which oversees long-range governmental planning for the region, recently gave the go-ahead to study two other potential light-rail corridors in West Jordan and Draper. A third corridor is being examined by West Valley City.
UTA has received about $75 million of the $241 million in federal money the Clinton administration has pledged for light rail in Salt Lake County, primarily for the planning and design phase of the Sandy-Salt Lake line. Congress must appropriate the rest.
The TRAX logo will become increasingly visible as construction progresses. Eventually, it will be plastered across UTA's light-rail cars, light-rail stations and park-and-ride lots.